Longevity
by
David B. South, Jr.
reprinted from The Monolithic Dome Roundup Spring 1998
Why
are we as Americans constructing buildings that only last a limited number
of years? While riding my bike on the back roads of Texas, I came across
a wood building.
At first, it appeared to me as a shack or an old barn. On closer inspection,
I could tell it was once someone's home. Long vines of ivy were growing
up the west side. On the east side was an overhang that looked, for lack
of a better description, like a car port. The windows were long gone and
I could not even tell what color the house was originally painted.
The whole structure appeared to slouching because the walls had shifted
over the years. I peered inside and could see a staircase leading to a
second floor. I could make out several rooms upstairs as well as larger
rooms downstairs. I guessed its age was around 80 to 90 years.
There are a few buildings not far from it that are that old. Yet, as I
studied it, I realized that it could easily be much younger. Perhaps someone
built it in the 30's or maybe even the 40's.
I imagine at one time that it was a very nice house. It was brand new
and a family had just moved in. It was clean, modern, and solid. The children
would play in the yard and their parents would take care of the home.
It was easy.
The house was new. How many years did they live there? Ten? Twenty? When
did the house start to shift? When did they have to repaint or replace
the aging wood? Where did they go for safety during bad weather?
Over the next twenty years, as the children grew and started to leave
home, the house would need more and more care. One day, all the children
would be gone and the mother and father would be alone. But the house
will need more care than it ever did. Conversely, the couple would be
older and less capable of repairing the home.
Eventually, the repairs and bills would be too much and the couple would
need to move on. Possibly moving away from their town, friends, and maybe
even their family. I ask the question again. Why are we building structures
with a limited life span? We have the technology to make our homes last
much longer. Let us build for centuries, rather than decades.
I am not arguing that everyone should live in a Monolithic Dome. Although
I do feel that the Monolithic Dome is an ideal solution. I am arguing
that we should start building permanent, low maintenance structures. Homes
of the future, or any future building for that matter, should embody principles
of safety, longevity, and low maintenance. The best way to conserve resources
is make them last as long as possible.
Related Links
|